Day 24: What A Way To End A Trail

I was in a state of joy and enthusiasm all day today. What a perfect way to end this hike, and even more confirmation that I’m right where I’m supposed to be in time and space. Seriously, words just cannot express the calming joy and contentment that’s washed over me today. Can you tell I’m writing this as I sit in front of the Mediterranean on a perfect night after sunset? Yeah, I think some post hike and sunset endorphins have kicked in. I mean seriously, I’m listening to waves as moonlight shines off the sea I’ve now walked to two separate times this summer. Who’s life am I living?! This post is lengthy with more photos than most. More for my own benefit as this had many moments I want to have for my future self to see again.

It did rain on and off the first half of the night last night, and then I slept hard. I thought I’d wake early today antsy to reach the end, but I woke later than usual really calm and comfy. I could totally sleep on my NeoAir with my sleeping bag at home every night and be a happy sleeper. As I packed up, I had more correspondence confirming things with E, my ride share to Chamonix in a couple days, and my Airbnb booking for the next two days. It’s really amazing I didn’t leave anything behind with so much happening at once. I was super paranoid that I would. I got going just before 8am and it was a perfect day to hike to the Mediterranean! The sun was out, but I remained in shade, and the sky was clear of haze. The first part of the morning was wooded with moments of views to the Mediterranean.

I was bummed to see an even better camp spot with a view just 5mins from the col I slept at last night. Finishing these shorter trails understandably doesn’t hold the emotion of a 4-5 month hike, but this one surprised me today. I got super pumped with each view as I inched closer to the end and the moment felt personally monumental.

So PUMPED!!!

I thought back on this hike, and I have to say that it will go down as one of my most recommended hikes for people. It’s such a pleasant balance of challenge with rewarding scenery, and the added safety net of villages and refuges when needed. Some hike this whole trail without a tent and without needing to carry even a full day of food. In that way, it’s a very welcoming trail because people really can tailor it to fit their liking, and that’s pretty cool. It’s quite scenically rewarding with less physical exertion than the Pyrenees, but beware, it’s still a lot of elevation gain and loss. Just not as steep. The scenery in the Pyrenees was definitely grander with fewer villages and time in wooded sections, but the physical enjoyment and ease of carries on this one is what makes me recommend it more. I’ve really never felt so relaxed on a long trail because of how many options there are for shelter, food, and water.

There was one more rocky crumbly uphill thrown in there this morning before the final dive down to sea level. At first I was annoyed by the climb after being toyed with a descent that seemed straightforward, but then I forgot all about it when I popped out high and got more views of the coast.

One last climb.

There is no water source for the whole section from the village of Sospel yesterday to Menton at the end. The guidebook says 7hrs of hiking, so I think that’s the longest stretch on this hike without water. It actually fails to mention it for people who don’t look ahead. I saw one puddle that could be used in an emergency, but I bet a ton get caught assuming many of the small mapped side streams would be flowing. As I was thinking that, I came upon my first official European trail magic! It was like I was in the US! They had a shaded canopy, cool water, beers, a few bars, and a book to sign. It was so randomly unexpected and in the perfect spot. I bet a ton of people are thankful for that one! I had enough water and was too excited to finish to stop long, but it was a great spot.

Much of the descent was crumbly loose rock. The kind you could easily fall or twist an ankle on if you got lax in the final miles. It was frustrating to be so close to the sea, and have a long downhill, but be moving in slow motion to avoid falling.

Careful footing on the way down.

Finally, I reached a paved road, followed the winding path between homes, and reached the Mediterranean!

It was 11am and just perfect outside. The guide directs you to a small sandy area near a harbor in Garavan, but really, you can cut anywhere toward the coast in neighboring Menton and eventually hit a beach. There’s no official signage on this one. Technically, I’m on the GR52 ending alternate to the GR5. The main GR5 route isn’t traveled as much because it avoids the final days in Mercantour National Park most prefer to end with. It does end in Nice, which I will still visit in a couple days. This ending was wonderful in my opinion.

I’m adding dolphins to my list of wildlife sightings.

I had a stranger snap some photos, didn’t have the want to get all the way in, and rinsed off all the dust from this morning in the public showers right on the little beach.

Really, ending a trail at a town is my new favorite ending. I’m so spoiled now. In the past, I’ve always ended long trails at remote spots (except the Te Araroa) that require hiking or hitching further to a town. Here I got an immediate shower and crossed the street to get a celebratory strawberry popsicle that hit the spot on the increasingly warming day.

Notice the trail marker on the concrete in the center.

Then I had a nice walk in flip flops along the coast to the much larger town of Menton. It’s super touristy and busy, but I seemed to be hitting it before the crowds got going. I wanted a milkshake badly, and knowing that it’s tough to find a thick one in Europe, I turned to the trusted McDonalds. I noticed the high prices of all the other burger options I’d passed and ended up having my first McDonalds burger in 20yrs. I tend to get the chicken wrap on the rare occasion I eat at McDonalds, but I really wanted a burger. I did first do a Google Maps search for Subway, but no luck. This celebratory lunch was right at the price I was looking for. The milkshakes are so small in Europe, I’ve learned I need to order two.

Then I walked to my Airbnb. On the way, it was like a surreal moment of a soundtrack playing in my head as I walked these cute french streets. Wait, it wasn’t in my head!

I wanted my own space and good wifi, so I splurged on a 70€/$78 Airbnb, which was very comparable to low end hotel options in Menton. A tip for people looking at last minute for a place. I was in a bind looking for a Fri/Sat night, so I found one that required a 3 night minimum that hadn’t been taken and messaged them to see if they’d take less since it wasn’t booked. I’ve done that a couple times and it works well. Also, as I’ve done before, book one night and then pay cash for the following nights. It was 70€ for the first night through Airbnb fees, and just 50€ for the second night for cash without service charges. Plus, the woman had a second property that was available and right in the heart of town center. For what worked out to 60€/$67 per night, I have a full apartment in an awesome location. There’s one other person in a room tonight, but we didn’t overlap other than a greeting as we each were doing our own thing. Try booking a furnished apartment with a kitchen at that price on the Mediterranean coast on a summmer Friday and Saturday night. It’s awesome!

I am just not in the mood to spend a ton on eating out, so I went to the grocery store and stocked up on everything I’ve been craving. I worried I got too much, but I’ve already eaten much of it! Chocolate milk! Eggs for breakfast! Salad! Brownies!!!

I worked it out that I’ll do a ride share to Chamonix through the awesome European app, BlaBlaCar. People post where they are driving and anyone looking to carpool and pay a bit can take the ride. People have profiles, stats, and reviews (like Airbnb) on their previous rides. I had the option of a full day on multiple trains and buses for well over 100€ or a 4-5hr drive for just 34€. The ride isn’t for two more days, so I get the zero I wanted tomorrow in Menton, and also get time to visit Nice the next day before my ride. I’ve heard the drive (through Italy I believe) is great too. The afternoon flew by with town chores. I’ve mastered this European laundry thing. Wash them either in the sink or shower, wear my shorts and shirt wet outside (dry in 10mins) as I lay the rest out to dry.

European clothes dryer.

Then after dinner, I walked the couple blocks down to the water to see the sea as the sun set behind it. What a perfect night!

Palm trees AND mountains.

It had been so warm in the day that it made for the most temperate evening air. I’ve never sat by a major beach at night with no need for a jacket and no wind. I could have sat there all night! You can tell by this lengthy post, I almost did, haha.

I’ll walk around Menton more tomorrow and probably will combine the next three days into one post to give me a break from daily writing before I start the Walker’s Haute Route Chamonix to Zermatt. I get to see E in Chamonix when she finishes the same route in a couple days. Rain and possible storms are forecasted for tomorrow. All part of this game of thru-hiking chess in which the strategy seems to have worked out this time!

Erin, congratulations on finishing such a wonderful walk. Thank you as always for the effort that you put into your posts – they are a special part of my day. And greetings from Portland, Oregon! You have a beautiful home town.

I am an American who has lived in France for the past several years, and it has been such a delight to see you explore some of the best Grande Randonnées that France has to offer! I’m not a thru-hiker yet, but your adventures this summer have given me some good ideas for fun week-long section hikes. I’m particularly excited to see what you make of the Haute Route. I was supposed to do it this summer but had to cancel for family reasons.

Enjoy Nice! If you want a tasty gelato, go to Fenocchio’s, located right in the center of the historical downtown area (Vieux Nice). When I lived in Nice, there were days when I would hit up Fenocchio’s for ice cream twice–life is just better near the Mediterranean when you have a morning gelato and an evening gelato. 🙂

“Stracciatella gelato is somewhat analogous to American chocolate chip ice cream, but the chocolate in stracciatella should turn out to be less chunky and more evenly distributed to produce a smooth, delicately crunchy texture.
The effect is produced by drizzling melted chocolate into plain milk ice cream towards the end of the churning process; chocolate solidifies immediately coming in contact with the cold ice cream, and is then broken up and incorporated into the ice cream with a spatula. This process creates the shreds of chocolate that give stracciatella its name.”

Oh Kathy, you may be finding out the answer to that in the very near future:)…?

JerryW
on September 2, 2017 at 6:16 am

Well done Erin! Another trail completed, and in a good time. I am so glad you enjoyed it, especially the finish .. somebody who is tired of the Mediterranean is tired of everything. Well done with all the logistics, too. So much to think, of and tie together
I think I might have to do this GR5 walk myself next year, so I’m very grateful to you for coming over and doing the recce for me 🙂
Good luck with the Haute Route, might perhaps be a bit harder work than this one, do you think?

I really think you’ll enjoy this one. So relaxing compared to the Pyrenees too. Not sure about the HR. I think weather is the big X factor. It’s shoulder season and E had snow and rain last couple days, but it seems to be clearing. She flew through it too!

I find myself beathing deeply, revelling in your completion of this trail. This was a lovely blogpost. I just returned to Oregon last night from hiking in southern Utah so, though my jorney was not on the same scale as yours by any means, the underlining … the completion… was a real gift. Congratulations!

We may put this route on our list. At 75 and 73 we’ll do the easy way, w/o a big backpack. Europe is such a different hiking experience than the states. We just did a 4 day jaunt in the Emigrant Wilderness. No coffee joints there. Thanks for your excellent posts Wired. If you ever get down to Sonoma county, maybe do a REI presentation in Santa Rosa, let me know please. Love to meet you (a celebrity hiker) if you come.

I really would love to take time to do a tour of sorts around the US to do my triple crown presentation, but the right opportunity hasn’t brought it all together. For sure this would be a good trip to do. I can’t think of another more scenic venture that allows you to carry so little without needing a guiding company to do it for you. There’s still the elevation factor, but if it was flatter, everyone would do it, ha!

Yes, I know. I tried before, but many have rooms for 30-50 and I prefer 100 to make it worth the time and effort to do it without pay. They understandable aren’t open to hosting it off site and each store runs independently so it would be a lot of legwork on my end. I’ve seriously looked into it and was bummed it wasn’t easier.

As ALWAYS, I have thoroughly enjoyed vicariously hiking with you. My husband and I did the Camino in 2014 & Tour du Mont Blanc in 2015. He won’t hike with me and sleep in a tent so I was pleased to see your comments on lodging each night. All the best to you, Erin!

Haha, yes it’s an option. I might have time to complete the TMB unexpectedly. By the time I finish the Haute Route, I might have time to grab the half that I didn’t already cover on the HR and the GR5.

Erin, congratulations on another great hike. I have especially enjoyed this last one and was mentally there with you on every step. I most likely will never go to these places, but thanks to you, I don’t have to. Your writing style is easy going and descriptive. I am looking forward to the book. Hike on.

I do know for the most part what I want to do next spring and summer, but I’m waiting to get some of the finer points ironed out before saying anything incomplete and having to answer a bunch of questions. Plus, I want to focus on the present at the moment?. However, I will say it’s something I’m really excited about!

“I thought I’d wake early today antsy to reach the end, but I woke later than usual really calm and comfy.” I sometimes quote you because I am so excited not only for you, but for me. I’m not just learning about technique and places but how to let go. And I’m just really thankful.

As some have noted, it would be wonderful if you’d keep us in the loop on a Triple Crown Tour. Many of us would truly be honored to be a part of that and get a chance to meet you in person. We know what you look like and how you sound, but it would be such a pleasure to meet and talk in person. I hope that won’t be too much socializing all at once! But for all of us who would never be able to hike with you it would be just awesome.

Congrats on another amazing finish. I’m glad that it had such an impact on you. You really are living life to the full.

You’re learning right along with me:) The PCT Wired from 2011 sure has evolved hasn’t she!? Such a journey and still so much that could lie ahead. In my gut I feel like that tour really could happen, but everything has been such a natural progression that I’m not wanting to force it until it feels right. I already have an idea of how I’d like to spend the upcoming year, and it will be outside, so the tour will wait for now:) It really would be wonderful make that tour happen someday though.

It is so cool, that you show us what lays in Europe within a relatively easy distance!
And I really hope you can somehow get a six month visa for Schengen in the future, like some tourists get for the US as it is needed for the longer trails. (But I believe you don’t know until you passed immigration, this would freak me out, as I am not a player.)
Have a great time in France and Switzerland and thank you so much for the effort!!

Ahooooooooo! Congratulations on another trail well done!!! All these years later and I never get tired of reading about your adventures and starting my day with a dose of Wired! Better than coffee any day! Keep enjoying this amazing life that you are living!

For all of you talking about a Wired tour, I have been very fortunate to see her in person many times. She is a wonderful presenter.

I have a challenge for some of you. Please come to Portland on holiday to see Wired. Take in some of our local day hiking. in the Columbia Gorge, Mt Hood, Mt St Helen’s. Lots of very nice trails close by

Thank you so much Erin, I’ve been dreaming about hiking in France and this one has now shot to the top of my list. Sounds sooo good! Plus would be very doable as I want to visit friends in Annecy which is over that side. I can feel your pure joy of this final day bursting off the screen!! ?

Hi Erin. Great writeup on the HRP. //Some beta on the Ursack for you/others. During a weeklong trek in the Brooks Range(2001) wanted to use my Ursack w Odor proof LokSacks. Our Bear Container was at the end of the trek-full of resupply food.// The Ursack had 2 issues. 1 Sunlight deterioration. So covered w the 4 gallon trash bag when out of the pack. 2. The factory drawstring is too short. I wanted one that was long enough to tie an overhand knot right at the pulled tight cordlock, make another shoRT loop And have 12-14″ left.to loop around a tree, rock, etc. Then use a locking carabiner to secure the sack. A critter caN get the bag but really have to work at it. //Another way I hung the bag was in vertical rock cracks above camp using one of my climbing cams. Leaned over rock edge to place the bag below the top. Not sure if animals look up a lot.//REPLACEMENT DRAWSTRING. Locate the nearest Westmarine Store. Ask them if they stock the 1/8″ Kevlar cord shown in their catalog. I had them cut 15ft. At the local store. They have really good shears to do this and I had to make only 1 cut after re-cording my Ursack.